System and method for assessing preparedness for imaging procedures

Abstract

An apparatus (10) includes at least one electronic processor (20) programmed to: receive scheduled imaging examination information (13) for a medical imaging examination which the patient is to undergo including at least a patient identifier, a scheduled date of the medical imaging examination, and an imaging modality of the medical imaging examination; extract patient information (29) from one or more medical records of the patient based on the scheduled imaging examination information; and generate one or more preparatory action items (15) to be performed in preparation for the medical imaging examination based on the patient information and the scheduled imaging examination information.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one electronic processor programmed to:
 receive scheduled imaging examination information for a medical imaging examination which the patient is to undergo including at least a patient identifier, a scheduled date of the medical imaging examination, and an imaging modality of the medical imaging examination; 
 extract patient information from one or more medical records of the patient based on the scheduled imaging examination information; and 
 generate one or more preparatory action items to be performed in preparation for the medical imaging examination based on the patient information and the scheduled imaging examination information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is programmed to receive the scheduled imaging examination information by operations including providing a user interface via which a user schedules the medical imaging examination, and is further programmed to generate the one or more preparatory action items from the patient information and the schedule examination information by at least one of:
 automatically scheduling at least one of the one or more preparatory action items during a portion of the examination;   displaying the one or more preparatory action items on a display device;   storing the one or more preparatory action items for retrieval by a medical personnel.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is programmed to generate the one or more preparatory action items by operations including:
 identifying a combination of the imaging modality being magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the patient information including a presence of a medical implant in the patient; and   in response determining an MRI classification of the medical implant from the extracted patient information; and   unless the MRI classification of the medical implant is MRI-safe, generating a preparatory action item in accordance with the MRI classification of the medical implant.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is programmed to generate the one or more preparatory action items by operations including:
 identifying a combination of the imaging modality being magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the patient information including an occupation of the patient which is associated with metalworking; and   in response, generating a preparatory action item comprising scheduling an ocular computed tomography (CT) screening for the patient.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is programmed to generate the one or more preparatory action items by operations including:
 identifying a native language of the patient and a prior use of a translator for the patient in the patient information; and   in response, generating a preparatory action item comprising scheduling availability of a native language translator for the patient.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is programmed to generate the one or more preparatory action items by operations including:
 identifying a patient mobility limitation of the patient in the patient information; and   in response, generating a preparatory action item comprising scheduling availability of transport support for the patient in accordance with the identified patient mobility limitation.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is programmed to generate the one or more preparatory action items by operations including:
 identifying a prior use of non-emergency medical transportation for the patient in the patient information; and   in response, generating a preparatory action item comprising scheduling non-emergency medical transportation for the patient.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is programmed to generate the one or more preparatory action items by operations including:
 identifying a contrast agent to be used in the medical imaging examination from the scheduled imaging examination information and an allergy to the contrast agent in the patient information; and   in response, generating a preparatory action item comprising revising the medical imaging examination to use a different contrast agent or no contrast agent.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is programmed to generate the one or more preparatory action items by operations including:
 identifying required pre-examination bloodwork for the medical imaging examination from the scheduled imaging examination information and no indication of the required pre-examination bloodwork in the patient information; and   in response, generating a preparatory action item comprising scheduling the pre-examination bloodwork.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is programmed to generate the one or more preparatory action items by operations including:
 identifying required pre-examination fasting for the medical imaging examination from the scheduled imaging examination information; and   in response, generating a preparatory action item comprising scheduling an electronic reminder notification to the patient of the required pre-examination fasting.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is programmed to generate the one or more preparatory action items by operations including:
 identifying the imaging modality being a nuclear imaging modality and identifying a radiation dose to be delivered to the patient by the medical imaging examination from the scheduled imaging examination information;   computing a prior cumulative radiation dose received by the patient from the patient information;   determining the sum of the prior cumulative radiation dose and the radiation dose to be delivered exceeds a maximum permissible cumulative radiation dose; and   in response, generating a preparatory action item comprising one of (i) adjusting the radiation dose to be delivered in accordance with the maximum permissible cumulative radiation dose or (ii) revising the medical imaging examination to use a non-nuclear imaging modality.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is programmed to:
 maintain status information for the one or more action items; and   automatically update the one or more action items based on the status information.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is programmed to:
 transmit one or more reminders to the patient regarding the one or more action items.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is programmed to:
 automatically update the one or more action items based on responses from the patient to the one or more reminders.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is programmed to:
 receive time change information including one or more of a location of the patient, weather forecast, and roadwork; and   predict changes to the one or more action items based on the time change information.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is further programmed to:
 track a movement of the patient by GPS; and   predict changes to the one or more action items based on the movement.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by at least one electronic processor to perform a method of generating one or more preparation action items to be performed in preparation for a medical examination which a patient is to undergo, the method comprising:
 receiving scheduled examination information for the medical examination including at least a patient identifier, a scheduled date of the medical examination, and an imaging modality of the medical imaging examination;   extracting patient information from one or more medical records of the patient based on the scheduled examination information;   generating one or more preparatory action items to be performed in preparation for the medical examination based on the patient information and the scheduled examination information;   transmitting one or more reminders to the patient regarding the one or more action items; and   automatically updating the one or more action items based on responses from the patient to the one or more reminders.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the method further includes:
 receiving the scheduled examination information by operations including providing a user interface via which a user schedules the medical examination; and   generating the one or more preparatory action items from the patient information and the schedule examination information by at least one of:
 automatically scheduling at least one of the one or more preparatory action items during a portion of the examination; 
 displaying the one or more preparatory action items on a display device; 
 storing the one or more preparatory action items for retrieval by a medical personnel. 
   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the method further includes:
 receiving time change information including one or more of a location of the patient, a movement of the patient, a weather forecast, and roadwork; and   predict changes to the one or more action items based on the time change information.   
     
     
         20 . A method of generating one or more preparation action items to be performed in preparation for a medical examination which a patient is to undergo, the method comprising:
 receiving scheduled imaging examination information for the medical imaging examination including at least a patient identifier, a scheduled date of the medical examination, and an imaging modality of the medical examination;   extracting patient information from one or more medical records of the patient based on the scheduled examination information;   generating one or more preparatory action items to be performed in preparation for the medical imaging examination based on the patient information and the scheduled examination information;   receiving time change information including one or more of a location of the patient, a movement of the patient, a weather forecast, and roadwork; and   predict changes to the one or more action items based on the time change information.